Govt may subsidise Igloo set top boxes

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andrewcnz

961 posts

Ultimate Geek

#94572 14-Dec-2011 06:30

"The Government is looking at taxpayer subsidies for some late-adopters to get Sky's Igloo set-top boxes after old analogue TV signals are switched off...

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10773063 "

And Sky now supported with taxpayer funding completes it take over of television in New Zealand!

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#557681 14-Dec-2011 07:28

Christ - don't subside anyone!

Just give plenty of notice, broadcast some test pattern stuff at stated times on analogue so that those who will be affect by the switching off of analogue TV signals are blatantly aware that all those wasted hours of advertising really were directed at them, and then just switch the bloody thing off.

If they really do still want to watch TV, they'll get the message, but under no circumstances should anyone be subsided, especially when the subsidy goes straight into the pocked of a big corporate! Sounds like the sort o thing a government department would do

Seriously - I think they should start broadcasting something on analogue during the News and Coro St (actually, just replace Coro St with a test pattern period) that says "YOU WILL BE AFFECTED" and people will soon get the picture that they will be affected by the switching off of the analogue signal.

crichton

111 posts

Master Geek

#557687 14-Dec-2011 07:56

Why subsidise a set top box designed to receive pay TV at $25/mth? If they can't afford the set top box then they certainly can't afford $300 a year for content! So why not subsidise a Freeview box?
And isn't this TV licensing by default? Anything worthwhile on TVNZ will probably be shunted off to their pay channel, TV2 sold and Freeview will become obsolete. Govt wouldn't want to reintroduce TV licence in order to finance public TV, so instead they encourage public pay TV.

NonprayingMantis

6434 posts

Uber Geek

#557725 14-Dec-2011 08:59

+1 on the views already here. Why subsidise a pay TV box when you can subsidise a Freeview box.

sheesh, seems like Sky have the government wrapped around their little finger.

oxnsox

1923 posts

Uber Geek

#557743 14-Dec-2011 09:22

NonprayingMantis: +1 on the views already here. Why subsidise a pay TV box when you can subsidise a Freeview box.

sheesh, seems like Sky have the government wrapped around their little finger.

...or Sky has TVNZ to do the Government wrapping for it

Skolink

1081 posts

Uber Geek

#557747 14-Dec-2011 09:35

"Sky chief executive John Fellet doubted pay-TV customers drawn to the Igloo box would meet the targeted demographic for an assistance scheme."

This may actually be true. If they don't already have Sky, and are still watching analog FTA, they are unlikely to pay for Igloo content. However I suspect Sky will still put in a bid in the hope that they will get their boxes into peoples homes (at taxpayer expense), then persuade them to pay for the extra content with direct marketing.

keewee01

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#557753 14-Dec-2011 09:46

Giving anyone assistance, by way of a subside, even if it is to get FreeView, is wrong. Otherwise you should go back and give everyone who got an Igloo (or FreeView) box previously the same deal.

That's why I get so pissed off over all these Clean Heat subsidies for homes. We went out and spent the money on a new log burner a few years ago and can't claim it back against these damn subsidies, but neighbours who'd been lazy and not upgradde from their open fireplace have everything thrown at them to encourage them to change. Where are the bonuses, etc for those who aren't costing the system all the effort for change!?? It's always the lazy ones who get stuff thrown at them. The CDMA change over is another example. Sheesh.

crackrdbycracku

1168 posts

Uber Geek

#557755 14-Dec-2011 09:52

This may be the worst idea I have heard this week.

They are not talking about one or two boxes, they are talking about a subsidy for 50 - 60,000 units.

According to the report someone 'familiar with Government thinking' says the package will not be means tested. That sounds aimed at letting Sky know what the score is.

The idea that they are even considering something other than Freeview is hard to take. At least there should be an attempt to justify such a decision. Of all the things the Govt could subsidies, Pay TV? Seriously?

Is it just me or is TVNZ seeming to be merging with Sky?

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Regs

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Snowflake

#557762 14-Dec-2011 10:12

i was initially disgusted at the headline, but reading further i see this:

"It is understood an assistance scheme being evaluated by the Department for Culture and Heritage will be aimed at people with disabilities"

as long as the targeted demographic -only- includes the 'people with disabilities' then i dont have an issue with a scheme being created. I'd still prefer it was subsidising the Freeview platform though as i dont think anything to do with Pay TV (which already has a monopoly) should be subsidised.

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urban

487 posts

Ultimate Geek

#557763 14-Dec-2011 10:13

crackrdbycracku: This may be the worst idea I have heard this week.

l43a2

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#557772 14-Dec-2011 10:17

free money free stb what next? free cars?

Regs

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Snowflake

#557776 14-Dec-2011 10:20

l43a2: free money free stb what next? free cars?

you can already get free cars. 'lose' your job while you have a car payment owing, and winz will cover it for you...

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l43a2

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#557777 14-Dec-2011 10:20

Regs:
l43a2: free money free stb what next? free cars?

you can already get free cars. 'lose' your job while you have a car payment owing, and winz will cover it for you...

as this is off topic ill keep this short, OMG.

allan

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#557778 14-Dec-2011 10:21

I still think it's a whacky idea to subsidise just this box, but if I understand it correctly, it is possible to use it just for watching the Freeview channels and not pay Sky anything ongoing.

jonherries

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Subscriber

#557779 14-Dec-2011 10:24

They opened a bag of hurt choosing "disability" as the yard stick.

What is a disability, and how do you measure it...?

Jon

oxnsox

1923 posts

Uber Geek

#557784 14-Dec-2011 10:34

The way I read it is that the STB will be both Igloo and Freeview capable.

So it appears the government thinking is that if they are going to provide a subsidised offering it should be a unit that offers the most flexibility. On the face of it that sounds like a reasoned and forward thinking approach, but what we don't have is all the reasoning behind it.

The implication seems to be that Igloo/Freeview will morph into a single entity and we'll all be paying for content (can't really see that happening), or that the Igloo/Freeview entity ownership(s) will be managed by the same team..... and that I don't like as that model is too open to squeezing quality content into the coin operated side of the venture. There is a smell of wedge in all of this.

OK so the cost of Freeview boxes versus Igloo/Freeview boxes (at the govt. tender buy point) may only be different by by a dollar or soo, as it's all probably a firmware change that can be applied across the next generation (or even some of those existing) STB's. But that doesn't make it right.

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